Messy, but Loved Living Abroad. July 13, 2026
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/15/2026 to 05/15/2026 with
CET Prague
It was worthwhile because I loved being able to travel on my own. I got better at budgeting etc, but I didn't like my program.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had way too much work compared to all of my friends |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Lily Sunshine was amazing, but everyone else was hit or miss. Also I didn't feel like my concerns were actually heard most of the time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My suitemate was a creep. |
| * Food: |
I am gluten- and nut-free, and there were a lot of options for me in Prague. Food wasn't included in the program though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I went to the ER and I was in the waiting room for a few hours and felt forgotten... I ended up being there until 3AM. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
My suitemate was a creep, my classes were needlessly difficult, and my concerns felt disregarded by the program coordinators. I also didn't really make friends because the program was tiny. I loved Prague and being able to travel, though. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200-ish. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | In Czech, nothing. |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I had known more about the housing and roommate-matching arrangements before the program began. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
A History of Communist Europe Told through Humor |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Ondřej Galuška |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The Prof was good and I liked the movies but it was a bit much |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Beginning Czech Language |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Kateřina Macíková |
| Instruction Language: | English, Czech |
| Comments: | Loved her and the course |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Jews, Anti-Semitism, Holocaust Memory in Central Europe |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Judita Matyášová |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Class felt pointless, teacher had the strongest BO I've ever smelled |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Modern History of the Jews in East Central Europe |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Daniela Bartáková |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | Class was fine, teacher a bit anti-Zionist |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Political and Cultural History of East Central Europe in the 20th Century |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Tomáš Bouška |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Love Tomáš |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
